Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-04-06
Sand with all this" said Mrs.

on. "EO0neZer lS unwilling TO give Dle
money to buy decent darning needles
and respectable tape. He wonders
why can't make my dresses last g.
little longer, and thinks am extrava-
CANT In wanting new feather for my
old velvet bonnet. He says that use
too many raisins and spices, and asks
me why can't raise poultry and have
eggs to exchange for groceries at the
village store. And yet-oh, the IN
consistency OF men-he expects me to
give g. bowl of coffee and sand
witch, to say nothing of wedges Of ap-
pie pie, and three-corneredb bits of cake,
to every able-bodied tramp and stout
peddler woman who happens to come
along"
doesn't he make any allowance
FOR it in the housekeeping money!"
asked Ella.
"Not hel Just look here" Mrs.
Smart opened the drawer of the kitch-
en- table. ''This is where I keep the
housekeeping money-which he gives
me every week-and he came here
twice this morning-once to get q
quarter for a lame beggar, and again
to get ten pennies for that same out
rageous paper of pins"
And she cast baleful glance at the
article. which still lsy on the dresser.
"This is piracy" said Ella, judi
cially.
cts highway robbery" declared
Mrs. Smart. "And there comes the
butchers cart, and / haven't money
enough left from my weeks allowance
to buy q single steak, and here it is
only Wednesday,"
"Oan't you buy on credit?"
"Neverl" said Mrs. Smart, with
| spirit. "It's thing I never have
done, and I never will dol"
shook her head vehemently at the
butcher, who was just checking his
| old horses at the door.
"Nothing to-day" she said.
Mrs. Smart dashed away tear.
"Give me some of that shelled corn,
Ella" she said. ST suppose 1 can
catch chicken for DINNER"
"Do nothing of the sort, my DEAR"
said Ella.
s'But what are we to do?"
"Why, have q picked-up dinner"
answered Ella. Youjust leave me to
manage it for YOU"
"But Pm afraid the Deacon won't
like it" said Mrs. Smart.
"Well, and If he doesn't? You don't
like the peddler business, do your"
quickly retorted Ella.
At 1 O'Clock the table was all
spread, with three huge central plat
tiers carefully shielded with the covers
which were ordinarily brought out
only on state occasions, and Mrs.
Smart and Ella were peeping out of
the window, and wondering what kept
the Deacon SO late.
"There he comes now," said Mrs.
Smart. Good gracious, mel And
there is Willis Mildmay coming home
with him. We never counted on his
bringing company to dinner, Ella"
"What signifies company ?" asked
Ella, stoutly maintaining her compos-
ure, although her pretty face turned
pink all over, like q June rose. evil
lis Mildmay won't care when he COM
prehends it all. Willis is a sensible
man."
"Come in, Mr.. Smart-come in, Mr..
Mildmay," said Mrs. Smart. you're
half an hour late, Ebenezer. Ella and
could not imagine what had become
of you"
SCI hope l am not intruding," said
Mr.. Mildmay, looking at Ella as if one
glance at her rosy face was all the din
ner that he wanted.
'Oh, not in the leastl" said Mrs.
Smart. "Pray sit down. We have
but a plain dinner to-day, kut it is all
that my housekeeping allowance would
admit"
mo apologies, my DEAR" said Dea-
con Smart-'no apologies. Hunger is
the best sauce, as we we'll know"
And thereupon they allseated them
selves at the table, and the Deacon
whisked off the big platter covers, with
| countenance OF expectation.
"Hello!" said the Deacon.
Thre upon the center platter lay the
eighteen pale green papers Of pins. At
the right and left, on smaller platters,
were arranged the cards of porcelain
buttons, AND the rolls of tape, and
the shoe-strings, while the bottles of
machine oil and packages of stove
block-house on q side table, beneath
VINO Ae'pAiA, Wy way VI OcSSOIG.
Ella burst out laughing. Mrs. Smart
joined in. Willis Mildmay, spurred on
by the Infectious sound, laughed too,
although he had not the least idea what
hewas laughing at. The Deacon star
ed as if he had suddenly become all
eyes.
"Julianna," he said, eswhat is the
meaning OF this?"
"It means, Ebenezer," his wife re-
sponded, ''that you have spent my
housekeeping money for peddler's
cheap wares, and that Ella and I de-
termined to serve them up to you for
dinner! And what you don't eat, we
sire going to burn; and henceforward,
whatever is bought has got to be of
good quality, or l won't haveit in the
house. Because | have come to the
conclusion that charity is one thing,
and justice is another. And if you
give me money for housekeeping, it
isn't fair for you to spend it in buying
articles which no one can usep
Certainly it isn't!" said Ella com.